Josh Manson Just Took the Maximum Fine for Butt-Ending Michael McCarron's Neck

Colorado's Josh Manson got hit with a $5,000 fine on Tuesday for one of the messier plays you'll see in a playoff series. The 34-year-old defenseman jammed the butt end of his stick into Wild forward Michael McCarron's neck area during Game 4 of their Western Conference second-round matchup on Monday night, drawing a double minor penalty in the first period. Here's the thing: that fine was the absolute maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, which tells you the league came down hard on this one.

The Play That Started It All

The incident went down during a scramble on the ice when Manson and McCarron got tangled up. Instead of just wrestling for position like usual, Manson's stick ended up in a place it had no business being. The refs called a double minor, and McCarron wasn't shy about calling it out afterward. "He's a dirty player. He's always been," McCarron told ESPN during a break in the action. "Surprised he got away with a four-minute penalty." That's not casual trash talk either. That's a player saying the league should've thrown the book at it from the jump.

Manson's Comeback Game Goes Sideways

What made this even more notable is that Manson had just returned to the ice. The guy hadn't played since April 23 due to an upper-body injury, and his first game back featured this kind of play. Through four postseason games, Manson has two assists and eight penalty minutes on his ledger. During the regular season, he put up 31 points (five goals, 26 assists) across 79 games but racked up 91 penalty minutes, so the physical play is kind of his calling card.

The Bigger Picture

This fine comes after the Avalanche absolutely dominated Game 4, winning 5-2 at Minnesota to push their series lead to 3-1. They're one win away from advancing, and Manson's disciplinary trouble is the last thing they need down the stretch. The league sending a clear message with the maximum fine suggests they're watching these second-round matchups closely. For the Avs, it's a reminder that getting physical is one thing, but crossing that line in the playoffs will cost you.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.